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What is a Work Opportunity and What is a Job? Which one is sustainable?

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The Department of Public Works said today that Government has created close to 1 million EPWP work opportunities during 2020/21 financial year.

Continuing the ‘plain’ speak the department said:

With Covid-19 health pandemic leading to mass job losses globally and in the country, the Government will continue to use programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to provide work opportunities to poor and unemployed South Africans so as to contribute towards the alleviation of poverty and reduction of unemployment.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure(DPWI) as the lead coordinator of the EPWP is proud to announce that the government has created a total of 938 688 EPWP work opportunities during the 2020/21 financial year (from April 2020 to March 2021). These work opportunities were created through 13 496 EPWP projects implemented across four EPWP Sectors, namely Infrastructure, Non-State, Environment and Culture, and Social.

Through these work opportunities, government has transferred a total of R9.3 billion as income support to EPWP participants in the 20/21 financial year alone.

The DPWI observes that more women continue to participate in the EPWP, with over 68% of the participants being Women. This shows that the programme is making a meaningful contribution to the improvement of the socio-economic status of Women in terms of opportunities to earn and income.

During the April 2020 to March 2021 period, the EPWP Non-State Sector provided the highest number of work opportunities at a total of 300 494 followed by Infrastructure at 266 182 work opportunities. The Social, and Environment and Culture sectors created 207 790 and 164 222 work opportunities respectively.

EPWP Performance per Province from April 2020 to March 2021

  • KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape continued to lead in the creation of EPWP opportunities – the two provinces created 219 947 and 190 706 respectively. The performance by other provinces is as follows:
  • Free State – 61 966
  • Gauteng – 91 895
  • Limpopo – 111 283
  • Mpumalanga – 70 694
  • North West – 64 926
  • Northern Cape – 41 817
  • Western Cape – 85 454

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure thanks all EPWP implementing bodies for contributing into the success of the Programme and to continue deliver quality services to various communities in South Africa. The DPWI also calls all implementing public bodies to scale implementation of the EPWP so as to create more work opportunities that will make a contribution to poverty alleviation and reduction of unemployment.

Brief Background of the EPWP

The EPWP is one of government’s medium to long term strategies to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty through the creation of work opportunities using labour-intensive methods. The EPWP is implemented in four sectors namely: Infrastructure, Social, Environment & Culture and Non-State. All spheres of government and State-Owned Entities are expected to implement the Programme.

The EPWP Participants (beneficiaries) work in different projects such as Community Work Programme (CWP), Early Childhood Development Programmes, Home Community Based Care Programmes, Extra School Support Programmes, Working on Fire, Working for Water, Roads Maintenance Projects, etc.

Through various skills and training that the participants receive from the EPWP, they (participants) stand a better chance to enter the formal job market and/or become entrepreneurs.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.